Thanks for a Great Year

by Coy Holcombe.

Yesterday was the end of the 2008-2009 regular school year. It really has been a great school year. Our students and staff members had many accomplishments during the year. While there is no way to mention (or recall off the top of my head) all of them, I do want to highlight a few:

The Intermediate and Primary earned an Exemplary rating based on TAKS performance and attendance.

The Intermediate and Primary were both designated as Title I Distinguished Campuses.

Our seniors earned over $1,125,000 in scholarships.

Our FFA program brought home numerous awards throughout the year.

We had an 8th grader, Nathan Cason, win the art competition for the entire state of Texas for MathCounts.

Kortni Harris was named the East Texas State Fair Elementary Teacher of the Year.

Our band did well all year and ended the year by sending two ensembles to state. One ensemble earned a first division and brought home a bronze medal.

The 6th grade band received ones at their competition in Canton

Chuck Powers received a plaque at the annual Employee Appreciation Banquet for 40 years of service to the district.

Joshua and Jacob Felty qualified for state in UIL Academics.

We had 13 girls qualify for the regional track meet and we had 8 boys qualify for the regional track meet.

Chelsea Truitt qualified for the state track meet in pole vault.

Eustace Intermediate, under the direction of Kathy Clardy, put on an awesome musical "The Hero in Us All".

We had three girls make all district soccer and Haley Mathis was chosen as Sophomore of the Year.

Shelley Compton received the School Bell Award for 08-09.

Our maintenance office moved into their new quarters (which they completely renovated).

Allie Cass was named to the all district girls basketball team.

The board approved new scoreboards at the baseball and football fields.

The boys basketball team advanced to the playoffs for the first time in 12 years.

Robert Cook, one of our technology specialists actually wrote a program from scratch that allows our parents to check their children’s lunch account balances.

The district received a $100,000 grant from the Murchison Foundation.

The district through local funds and grant funds provided all core classrooms with Promethean Boards.

The Board approved purchase of several different models of netbook computers for testing in the district.

Campuses received numerous Gold Performance Awards for their accomplishments on the TAKS test.

The Bulldog varsity football team made the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.

The volleyball team won district, bi-district, and area championships.

Both our boys and girls cross country teams qualified for regionals.

The school district and community came together to rebuild the bonfire after it was vandalized.

The district achieved a Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas of "Superior Achievement"

We were able to hold graduation in Eustace for the first time in a long time.

I know that there are many other accomplishments. These are just a few. I want to thank all the EISD staff members for their hard work and dedication. Thank you to all the parents/guardians, friends, and other relatives that have supported their students this year. Thanks to the school board for their leadership, dedication to the children and staff, and for the long hours they spend on Tuesday evenings.

I can’t wait to get things started in August. Even though 08-09 was a fantastic school year, 09-10 is going to be even better.